Phil Meagher - Ward 1

"Every Citizen, Every Day, No Exceptions!" is Phil's motto for public service. As a matter of fact, Phil doesn't look at being a municipal Councillor as service, he looks at it as a privilege to be upheld in every way possible. Phil’s grandfather always told him that no matter where he lived, or for how long, he should always leave the place better than he found it. Phil has been trying to do this for the last 35 years he has lived in Fort McMurray, with over 22 of those years being a member of Council. Phil says that every vote holds a chance to make Fort McMurray a better place to live.

Phil and his wife Sherri have been married for 33 years. They are proud parents of five children and two grandchildren. The Chief Deputy Superintendent of the Fort McMurray Public School District, Phil's hobbies and interests include cross country skiing, both as a coach and competitor, hockey referee (at 25 years of service, Phil is the longest serving linesman in the Alberta Junior Hockey League), biking, hiking, shoveling as part of the Municipality’s Snow Angel Program, auctioneering at social profit fundraising events, participating in parades and walking his dog, Uno.

Phil is one of the founding fathers of the Fort McMurray High School Challenge Cup, now in its 34th year, and is currently ranked as one of the top three masters cross country skiers in Alberta. A silver medalist at the 1991 Canadian National Marathon Championships, Phil is a three-time provincial marathon champion and was inducted into the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame as an athlete in 2009. In 2011, Phil was honoured by Keyano College with its Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award and in 2012, he was a recipient of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for Public Service. In 2017, Phil was honoured by the Municipality for Excellence in Public Service for his efforts in the first 100 hours of the historic 2016 Horse River Wildfire.

Phil has been an elected member of Council since the 1995 amalgamation of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. He has called Fort McMurray home since 1983 and feels that it has all been a natural fit for him and his family. "Wood Buffalo has been such a wonderful place to bring up a family, a place to burn off my excessive energy and always a challenging adventure, whether that be in the board room or on the trails and rivers!"

Phil represents Council on the 2018 Alberta Winter Games Wood Buffalo Host Society.

Phil would like to thank all his supporters for their continued trust in him.